


He Left

by livvy_x



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, FP Jones II's A+ Parenting, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 18:10:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13277052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livvy_x/pseuds/livvy_x
Summary: Betty hadn’t seen or spoken to Jughead for over a year, since he left. While at FP’s trailer, she finds out he’s coming home in a few days for Christmas. While having a conversation with his father about Jughead, then said boy walks in. Jughead and Betty argue, but what happens after that? Do they come to a resolution?





	He Left

It had been over a year since Jughead left for NYU. He was in too deep with the Serpents, and this was his only way out, so he left and refused to look back. Well, at least until his father called him to come home for Christmas.

When FP was on the phone with Jughead, he told him how he needs to see his son every once in awhile. Though he pushed the fact that Jughead needed to get a higher education, he hadn’t expected him to go so far. He missed seeing his son, who wouldn’t? He didn’t know though that Jughead was planning a surprise visit anyway.

“So you talked to him the other day… is he coming home?” Betty asked FP, sitting on the floor of the Jones’ trailer, playing with Hot Dog. She tried not to sound like she was desperate or like she was longing. She tried to sound curious.

FP frowned, knowing that Betty would most certainly not be here the week that Jughead was here. She had been visiting him at least three times a week since Jughead left. There was no doubt that she loved that boy, but being how things ended, with everything that was going on between the Serpents and the Black Hood, he didn’t know if they’d walk it back. They should though, he’s always thought that. “Yeah, he’s coming home. I told him to be here by Friday,” he said, and it was currently Thursday.

Betty stood up then, straightening out her cardigan. “I’ll make you some food, okay? Enough that you’ll be able to have a Christmas dinner with your son,” she said, squeezing FP’s arm as she walked by him and into the small kitchenette.

FP let out a long sigh, following Betty into the kitchen. “You don’t have to cook for us, hun. I have some leftovers from the stuff you mad me three days ago,” he chuckled. “I don’t want you to stress yourself out over him coming home,” he said, feeling for his son’s ex-girlfriend.

“Not stressing out,” she hummed, pulling a rotisserie chicken out of the fridge.

“Then why are you digging your nails into your palms?” FP raised his eyebrows at her and crossed his arms. Betty dropped her shoulders defeatedly and released her clenched fists. _Why did he have to be so much like Jughead? _They both realized everything. “Why don’t you just come eat with us? I know he misses you, Betty. Wouldn’t it be good to talk it out?”__

__Gulping, Betty turned on the oven and started to cook. “Maybe it would be. I’m sure he doesn’t want me here though, even if he misses me. He left, FP. He left and didn’t even tell me.” Her voice cracked with that last sentence. Thankfully she was keeping herself busy with this, or else she’d probably start to cry. “I don’t know what I need. Closure, maybe? An explanation? Whatever it is, I don’t think I’m ready for it.” She paused. “Not yet.”_ _

__“Are you ever going to be ready? Or is it something you’re just gonna have to do?” FP leaned against the opposite end of the kitchen counter. Neither of them realized the front door opening and closing, and neither of them realized the extra body that was now standing in the doorway. FP continued, “You two had, and may still have, something important, you know? I don’t want you to end it the way you did, and I’m not saying that just because he’s my son and I want what’s best for him. You deserve what’s best. I’m saying that because you need to settle your mind, Betty. I see you driving yourself crazy in there sometimes.” He tapped on his own forehead for emphasis._ _

__Betty put her hands on the edge of the counter and ducked her hand down. “We’ve had this conversation a hundred times, FP,” she chuckled breathlessly. “Do you remember that day? The day I came here looking for him? When the Black Hood shit was done and I came to tell him we were gonna be okay? He wasn’t fucking here,” she said in a monotone voice. Her head was still down, but her eyes were closed now. “I sat on your floor, crying into your shirt for two hours. I’ve done it multiple times since,” she said, laughing at the realization of how pathetic it sounded. “He left without telling me, without caring enough to think of me.” She paused, squeezing her eyes shut to prevent tears. “It’s over. None of it matters anymore.”_ _

__FP’s heart always broke hearing how depressed this all made her, love does that to a person though, which he knows from experience. “If it doesn’t matter, why do you still cry over it? If it doesn’t matter, why do you come here and sleep in his bed when you want to take a nap rather than sleeping in your own bed. If it doesn’t matter, why do you still count how many days it’s been since you two last spoke?” He asked, stepping forward. “Speaking of, how many days has it been?”_ _

__“Four hundred and forty one days,” Betty said, but a familiar voice said it in unison with her._ _

__Jughead was _here _. At the sound of his voice, Betty and FP turned their heads in a flash. They couldn’t believe their eyes. For Betty, the breath was knocked right out of her. He was here, in front of her. After months and months, they were face to face. Anxiety creeped into her skin, and she felt her hands started to clench.___ _

____“It all matters. It’s always mattered,” Jughead said as he dropped his duffle to the floor, showing that he heard a good portion of the conversation. There were bags under his eyes, looking like he hadn’t slept for a while. His heart was pounding, this was not what he had expected. Not knowing what else to say, he whispered, “What are you doing here, Betty?”_ _ _ _

____Betty didn’t respond right away… she just kept looking at him with wide and teary eyes. She cleared her throat then and turned back to the oven. “Making a real dinner for you and your dad, and then, I’m heading out,” she said shortly. She put on a tough facade and miraculously dried her tears. The manner that she was trying to cook in was frantic, like the way she was putting the seasonings on the uncooked meat too fast, or spilling milk on the counter when she was trying to make the mac and cheese. Every movement was shaky, just like her breaths._ _ _ _

____Jughead ran a hand over his face, looking up to the ceiling. This was the last thing he had expected. _Why was she even here? Fuck. _He had regretted the way that he pushed her out. He regretted the way he ignored all signs of her needing him back when he was in Riverdale. He regretted leaving without telling her. He regretted so many things because he loved her so much. The words, _‘I fucked up,’ _were not enough to describe what Jughead had felt like he had done._____ _ _ _

________FP watched his son battle with the thoughts in his mind, and he watched the girl he cared for oh, so much anxiously move around. With a bit of frustration, he headed for Jughead. Putting a hand on his elbow, he pulled him into the living room. “Do something.” It was a command. He knew from the way his son would linger on her name when they called each other that he still loved her. When they would FaceTime, and Jughead would ask his dad if he’s seen Betty around, he’d see the worry and pain in his eyes. He knew his son loved her. “Now, Jughead.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Jughead mustered up the courage to go back in the kitchen by closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. When he peered through, Betty was still keyed up. The way she was stirring whatever the hell was in that pot was most certainly not in a calm, orderly fashion. He watched her, honestly not being able to tear his eyes from her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He needed to make some sort of move here. Jughead was the one who fucked everything up, this was on him, and he knew it. “Betty,” he whispered, hoping to snap her out of her anxious state. “Betty,” he repeated, more chokingly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Jug, I’m just make you dinner and I’m going, alright?” Betty snapped, like that was all she had to say. He noticed the way her nails dug into her skin though, so he wasn’t going to give up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Betty, please,” Jughead begged. “Just look at me.” Nothing came from that, she didn’t even flinch. “Fine,” he retorted, starting to feel how he normally did when he was upset… like he needed to shut down or push out or snap back. “What are you doing here anyway?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________To his rude tone, Betty whipped around, her ponytail whacking her in the cheek as she did so. “What am I doing here?” She raised her eyebrows. “I’m here all the time, not that you would know,” she snorted, pent up anger now releasing. “You want to hear all of went on around here while you were gone, Jug?” She put her hands on her hips, stepping forward. “Well, your dad ended the civil war between the Northside and the Southside. The Black Hood is dead… my mom shot him. I’ve been in counseling since that, not that I had anyone to fucking lean on,” she snarled, jabbing at him. “On the Southside side of things, after hell calmed down a bit, your mom and Jellybean came for a visit. I taught your sister how to put her hair in a ponytail like mine, so next time you see her… that hair is from me. Let’s see… Malachi is in jail, so according to your dad, the Ghoulies are falling apart. Oh, and Joaquin’s back. He and Kev are together again. Toni? The girl you _really _wanted, she’s taken. Your chances are done there. Her and Cheryl are going strong—”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I never fucking wanted Toni,” Jughead countered, furrowing his eyebrows in a frustrated way. “It was a one night thing, Betty, and you already know this! She kissed me after you broke up with me through Archie. You chose Archie,” he said. “But I mean, if you don’t remember, we got back together after that—”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Yeah, and then you shut me out. I told you I needed time because the Black Hood was going to come after you if we were together again, so instead of listening to me, what did you do? You literally cut me off. We haven’t spoken since that day, Jug. Because I’d rather put your life ahead of us being around each other, you closed me out,” she said with a raised voice. “You didn’t even try and call.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Jughead let out a disgruntled sound. “Fuck, I messed up, I know that,” he closed his eyes, disappointed in himself. “Do you think I didn’t want to call? Betty this wasn’t just me pushing you out. This was me trying to give you a better life, for one. I mean, what? You wanna deal with me the rest of your life? A weird ass, loner kid who got caught up in drug deals and drag races and gang business? My shitshow of a life? You deserve better than that! I mean, seriously, Betty? You could have a perfect life… you’re already the _perfect girl next door _. You really want someone like me?”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Yes!” Betty shouted. “That’s my choice, Jughead. My choice, not yours. I never wanted that perfect life, I just wanted you! Did you think you just blocking me out and leaving was going to change the fact that I fucking love you? That I always loved you and I always will?” She was closer to him now, holding back from shoving him. “That stuff doesn’t just change overnight, Jug… at least not for me.” Her voice lowered now, the realization of what she said just hitting her. It all came out so fast she didn’t even think before the words came out of her mouth. Now here she was, feeling like an idiot for admitting her love to him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You still love me?” Jughead’s face had fallen and his voice had weakened. He thought she’d hate him. Stepping even closer, so their bodies were only inches apart, he repeated, “You still love me?” Betty crossed her arms, and looked to the side, staying silent and avoided eye contact. That was all he needed. Gently grabbing her chin, he turned her face to him and ducked down to connect their lips._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Betty pulled away first. In that moment, whether she was trying to fight it or not, everything inside of her that was willing to fight started to break. “Don’t,” she whispered, not meaning her words. Jughead knew her, and he knew she was saying that just as a sense of pride. He leaned back in and kissed her again, long and soft. The taste of mint and cigarettes filled Betty’s mouth while the taste of vanilla and cotton candy did the same to Jughead’s. They had missed those flavors more than they thought they had. Again, Betty reluctantly pulled away, but Jughead was expecting it. “You can’t—”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I love you,” Jughead interrupted, cupping her face in his hands._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Don’t say that,” Betty said, looking anywhere but his eyes. She hadn’t even realized that she was gripping onto his sherpa jacket, but she did know that no matter how bad she wanted to step away, she couldn’t bring herself to do so._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jughead leaned their foreheads together. “I love you,” he repeated. “I’ll always love you,” he spoke so promising that it made a tear fall down Betty’s cheek._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Shaking her head, Betty said, “Juggie, don’t.” It came out more chokingly than she expected it to. In that moment then, she started to cry. “You can’t say that. You can’t do that,” she said, lightly pounding on his chest with balled fists as a way to push him away. “You can’t. You just—”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Shhh,” Jughead wrapped his arms around her, stopping her from any attempts of pushing him away. They fell to the floor, wrapped in each other’s arms. “I’m so sorry. I love you so much,” he whispered into her hair as she sobbed, starting to cry himself._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Betty clutched onto him, holding on like an anchor. “That’s not true,” she forced out. She rapidly shook her head back and forth. “You’re lying.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I’m not lying,” Jughead said quietly. He soothingly ran his fingers through her now messy blonde hair, where he lodged his face to block some of his own tears. “I am so fucking sorry,” he choked. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do. Guilt was coursing through his veins… guilt, sorrow, all of the above._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________For a while longer, they stayed tangled up in each other’s embrace, sitting in a puddle of their own tears. As they snapped back to reality, the both realized the blood on Betty’s hands and the stains on Jughead’s jacket. Betty put her palms out, looking at the incisions, and burst into tears again. “Fuck,” she cried out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jughead frowned, placing a gentle, meaningful kiss on her forehead. “Come on,” he said softly, standing up and bringing her with him. Hesitantly, Betty followed his lead. They went into the bathroom, where Jughead sat her atop of the toilet seat and went to retrieve supplies to clean her hands up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________As Jughead took of his jacket and soaked it in the water to clean off the stains from her hands, Betty batted her eyes to the floor, feeling ashamed that this is what she does. Then when he started cleaning up her hands, she wanted to tell him she could take care of herself, but the words never reached her throat. She was too weak and tired to fight him on anything else._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I quit college three months ago,” Jughead sparked conversation while wiping blood away. Betty looked at him in confusion. “It was too much for me. I didn’t fit in that school, so I got a job, rented an apartment, and kept writing.” He sighed. “I was depressed, I think,” he explained. The way he spoke was more matter-of-factly than sad. “Felt like everything I ever loved was taken right from my hands, and it was _my _fault.” He curled her hands into his own, staying in his position on the floor while she sat up on the toilet. “It wasn’t even the leaving that fucked me up. Being caught in the Serpents, Penny Peabody, forcing you out… it started here. New York didn’t do anything to help, it just made it worse.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Not everything was your fault, Jug,” Betty whispered. They both knew they were many other factors to consider, it was just easier to blame it on someone specific._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jughead chuckled with exasperation. “You know damn well that a lot of it was.” He ignored the way Betty was shaking her head and leaned his forehead on their combined hands, letting out a sigh. “I came back today to tell my dad I want to come home. I have so much to fix.” He gulped. “So much to fix,” he repeated weakly. He was referring to her, to his family, to Archie, and even to Veronica._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Betty’s tears had dried as she looked down at the boy who was resting his head on her hands. Her eyes were red rimmed and her head felt like it was going to explode. He looked so small and broken, just as she felt. “We’ll walk it all back. We’ll figure it out,” she said lowly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jughead’s head popped up at the word ‘we.’ He was praying that he wasn’t hearing things were she said that. “We will?” He asked, sounded hopeful and pained all in one._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Betty closed her eyes and let out a breath. “We will,” she confirmed. This was all too overwhelming right now though. She wanted him to hold her… something that he hadn’t done for so long. Maybe she shouldn’t want that, maybe she should leave and let him feel how she did the past year, but she couldn’t. She needed to feel him. “Can we go to bed?” She could tell again that Jughead was surprised, but he eventually nodded, standing up and taking her hand to lead her to his bedroom. They changed into comfy clothes before curling up with each other, feeling like they could be at peace with everything if they stayed like this forever._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jughead felt her breath on his chest. She fell asleep within seconds, wrapped in his warm embrace. As she slept, he thought of all he had to catch up on. _Alice shot the Black Hood? Did Betty take over the Register? How’s community college going for her? How’s Archie and Veronica? Is Pop doing good? What made Joaquin come back home? _He had missed so much. Honestly, he felt like he didn’t deserve to even be granted the wish of catching up. He felt like he didn’t deserve to be laying her with Betty in his arms, but still, here he was, and he wasn’t ever going to leave again.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________After a bit of his mind spinning, Jughead wiggled himself out from under Betty to go get a cup of water. He needed to compose himself a bit. Though this is what he needed, he didn’t want to be too far from Betty, so he took it into his room and sat on the edge of the bed, drinking it and just watching her sleep._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________All of a sudden there was a knock on his door. Turning around, FP was standing there. “You’re coming home?” Jughead’s father asked him softly, not wanting to wake the girl._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Jughead nodded, feeling guilty _again _for not telling his father that he quit college. He didn’t want his father to be disappointed in him, but it was probably too late now. “You heard?”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Thin walls,” FP said, lightly tapping on the wall he was leaning on. Thankfully, he didn’t say anything else on that matter. “I turned off the stove and oven, so if she wakes up freaking out about that, let her know.” His eyes trailed from his son to Betty. Clearly, to Jughead’s eyes, he did not look surprised to see her in his bed again. “She deserves someone who loves her… someone who takes care of her, even if she can do it on her own, you know?” Jughead’s throat went dry, already knowing this and figuring that he wasn’t the person for that. “You have to be that guy for her, Jug. You can’t let go of what you have again, okay? Be a man about this.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Jughead gulped. He didn’t want to let Betty down, like he did before. His father was right. It’d be stupid to ever take their love, _their real love _for granted. It was the type of thing you can’t let go of; he knew that even after all this time. “I know,” he responded.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________FP just looked at him, nodding. He took the glass of water from his son so that he could go to bed with the love of his life instead of prancing around. They said their good nights and went to bed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Jughead laid next to Betty, putting a hand on her waist to pull her closer. Their faces were close together, and Jughead felt safer than he had in the past four hundred and forty one days. There was a lot of work that had to be done, but they were going to work it out. He had faith that they were going to be okay. You can’t stop love._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
